Comments on: Barack Obama is Politics in Three Dimensions

By: Happy New Year! And a Max Gladwell 00 Retrospective | Max Gladwell

Happy New Year! And a Max Gladwell 00 Retrospective | Max Gladwell — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:01:53 +0000

[...] It would further the principles of Environment 2.0, Entrepreneurship 2.0, Objectivism 2.0 and even Politics 2.0. Shaped by so many circumstances and events, Max Gladwell has now come to personify the heroic [...]

By: Entrepreneurs: On the Importance of Focus and Targeting | Max Gladwell

Entrepreneurs: On the Importance of Focus and Targeting | Max Gladwell — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:04:19 +0000

[...] Barack Obama: The President-elect set the stage for how political campaigns will be run in the 21st century, and it has much to do with his entrepreneurial approach. The Democrats started with an ambitious and unrealistic 50-state strategy. If it were a business plan, most investors would have passed. But it worked for Obama because he was selling the universal products of hope and change. Everyone wants to have hope, and by the end of the election everyone was looking for change. But Obama didn’t start by selling it to everyone; he started with a target market of brand evangelists. These were Obama’s early adopters, and they spread his messages of hope and change (sold his products) for him. By the end, he’d convinced many Republicans (Obamacans) to endorse and vote for him, including conservative blogger Andrew Sullivan, National Review columnist Christopher Buckley (son of National Review founder, William F. Buckley), and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. It’s worth noting that it happened in this order and that each is progressively more Republican than the last. In other words, Obama’s marketing spread from the center of his target to the outer edges. Had Obama started by targeting hardcore Republicans, the campaign (his product) never would have gained the momentum it needed for a freshman senator to become the 44th president of the United States. [...]

By: Brokekid.net » Blog Archive » Barack Obama Art

Brokekid.net » Blog Archive » Barack Obama Art — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:07:07 +0000

[...] (via maxgladwell.com) [...]

By: Max Gladwell

Max Gladwell — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:46:27 +0000

Joe: I wouldn’t go so far as to say “staunch” supporters of the war. I give them no credit for caving in to the political pressure and voting to give Bush the authority simply because they did not want to find themselves on the wrong side of a popular war. That’s what they saw at the time, and it turned out to be a very bad decision, both politically and for the world.

But that error in judgment alone does not disqualify them as capable and valuable to our government. It is exactly like saying, “If you were a part of the Baath party, then you have no business in the new Iraqi government.” It’s not black or white. Pragmatists don’t throw out the baby with the proverbial bath water (no pun intended).

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:16:16 +0000

I do agree with your 5 points about fixing the GOP but I cant say I like the points you made earlier.

Your rule of thumb should be: “if corporations and big interests and the Washington machine hate it, then it’s probably good policy”. Thus far, they are pretty content with Obama’s cabinet picks.

And your analogy (about the Bathis party) does not hold I’m afaird.

People like Clinton, Emanuel etc etc, were staunch supporters of Iraq war. People like Summers, Gram etc were the architects of the financial crisis.

By: Max Gladwell

Max Gladwell — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:25:48 +0000

BigJohn: Depends on how you define a “dimension”. Could also be expressed as an X and Y axis, which could be four dimensions. The overall point is that it’s a cube not a square.

By: BigJohn

BigJohn — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:16:31 +0000

Wouldn’t the “left-right spectrum” be only 1 dimension? Does that mean Obama governs in 2D?

Sorry, just had to point that out.

By: AvangionQ

AvangionQ — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:00:23 +0000

What I like about Barack Obama, and what seems to be quickly catching on, is that he’s a pragmatist — I have hope that he will do what is necessary to correct this nations flaws and bridge this politically divided nation …

By: Scott Badenoch

Scott Badenoch — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:44:48 +0000

This should be required reading for all Republicans. Time to start fresh, guys! Especially for those of us who used to be Repubs but couldn’t countenance the antithetical Bush disaster (spend more, do less, kill everyone) plan.

I look forward to seeing Repubs rethink themselves…and the new leaders that emerge for them. Although, I like the “post-partisan” image drawn here and hope that has some legs post-Obama.

Thx be to Obama.

By: ErickB

ErickB — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:11:21 +0000

Ha! So many crazy uncles…so true…

Michael Moore’s phrase ‘The Republicrats’ seems appropriate for your post.